YOUR VIEW: Jan. 31, 2018

Ebbert: Rep. Walden prince of thieves

To the Editor:

The faux Republicans in Congress have had their way and screwed the American voters again with their version of alternative facts. A letter from Mr. Walden of Dec. 22, 2017, states the median household income for his district is $50,000 a year. (That would be before this bill closed “loopholes” used to calculate the federal tax such as the deductions for state and property taxes.) Now only a portion of these taxes are deductible. Taxable income will be rising and federal taxes will go up. Is this not double taxation and illegal? Was that not the reason for the deduction in the first place? This is only one of the “loopholes” this bill closes. It is unknown what other loopholes have been repealed since very few people have had an opportunity to see the bill. The Republican Congress rushed to get this approved before the year end without a hearing or review.

The GOP tax bill will also increase health care premiums by an estimated 10 percent due to repealing the ACA mandate and making health care insurance unaffordable for 13 million families. Although the ACA issue has no place in any tax bill, this bill creates another family expense.

This GOP tax bill is so expensive it is actually immoral. Recent estimates of additional national debt due to the bill are $1.5 trillion. For those of us who have trouble getting our arms around this number, a family with income of $50,000 would have had to start 30,000 years ago, before the time of Christ to pay this. And Mr. Walden says, “Instead of bloated federal government taking and spending your money, I want families to keep more of what they earn.” Does he mean our grandchildren should be responsible for this huge bill?

Representative Walden’s letter explaining the GOP tax bill makes it clear he is our own prince of thieves.

David Ebbert

Enterprise

Rosenbaum: Concerned about unhealthy meals at senior center

To the Editor:

It’s fun to eat out, not often, for a variety of reasons, but fun sometimes. And sometimes I’ve entertained the idea of eating at our senior center, maybe fun, sometimes but not often. And then I read the weekly menu published in the paper and wonder: How can this food possibly be healthy for senior citizens? As we age, we hopefully pay a bit more attention to our well-being including the diet. Now, I’m no vegetarian, I eat meat weekly, like my bison steaks.

I don’t expect the Union County Senior Center to put us older folks on a quinoa/kale regimen, but really: mac and cheese with ham bits, fried chicken, fish and chips, cake, Jell-O, baked beans, cookies? Sound good to you? Go get your cholesterol checked. Trust me, I’ve been looking for an opening for months where I could sneak in what sounds like a good, healthy meal but instead see most often calories and cholesterol bombs.

Admittedly I’m not expecting much change from this. Maybe I have too many painful memories of institutional food at school and summer camp that influence my meal observations, but at the very least a calorie count and fat and salt content of meals should be posted in the center’s windows. If this is already done, bravo.

Now get cooking, and hold the lima beans, brussels sprouts and cauliflower (my yecch content), meatloaf, chicken-fried steak and ribs.

Michael R. Rosenbaum

La Grande

Raph: Heartbroken by Island City Cemetery’s policy

To the Editor:

On March 21, 1993, the heavens gained a beautiful angel. One way for me to grieve and feel like my daughter was still with me for all these years was to visit her at the Island City Cemetery. Placing flowers, hanging charms and decorating for the holidays and birthdays was a way to show my love and handle my grief.

My daughter’s life was taken at the age of 15. My heart broke and still breaks to this day. It was recently that I discovered heartbreak again when I went to visit her grave site and saw that every planter, flower and all decorations that had been left by friends and family had been taken. My heart sank and tears fell instantly. I called Island City City Hall about this matter and was transferred to one of the most heartless and rudest men I have ever spoken to. He stated that they had the maintenance remove everything from all graves and throw it away. That they had a new policy and only during certain holidays could you decorate the graves of your loved ones, and after a brief time those too would be thrown out.

I feel like they have stolen from my daughter and all the other loved ones’ graves, with no remorse about the matter or our feelings. I want this policy to be removed for the sake of everyone who is visiting and resting at the Island City Cemetery.